Dolphins don't have enough talent to "double down" at QB

Drafting QB would be luxury team can't afford

A four-year starter who threw for an SEC record 121 career touchdowns, but… (Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images )

May 7, 2014|By Chris Perkins, South Florida Sun Sentinel

DAVIE — There’s been chatter that it might be wise for the Dolphins to draft another quarterback this year, “double-down,” so to speak.

The rationale is if things don't work out for third-year starter Ryan Tannehill the Dolphins would have a head start on a backup plan.

Guess what? The Dolphins have a backup plan. His name is Matt Moore.

It's a good plan. Leave it alone.

Beyond Moore, there’s Pat Devlin, who has spent the last three years with the Dolphins as the No. 3 quarterback, and Jordan Rodgers, the younger brother of Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

The Dolphins can't afford to use a draft pick on a quarterback. The future is now for this team. And coach Joe Philbin, entering what would seem to be a pivotal third season, probably understands that as much as anyone. He has a 15-17 record after two seasons (so does Tannehill, by the way.)

If Tannehill doesn't work out at quarterback, there's a good chance that's the next coach's problem. Philbin, I'm guessing, won't be around to make corrections. And general manager Dennis Hickey would be probably be gone, too. For that matter, Tannehill might be gone with them. That's the first reason I don't see the Dolphins drafting a quarterback.

The second reason I don’t see the Dolphins drafting a quarterback is this team has too many frontline, immediate needs to draft a backup. The Dolphins need to use this draft to get talent that will help win games and get to the playoffs immediately, not in two or three years.

But there shouldn't be a single player selected this week by the Dolphins who doesn't have the potential to help next season either from scrimmage or on special teams.

It's a good idea in theory to "double down" on quarterback. But it only makes sense if your team is in position to spend a draft pick on a player that might not play for a while. The Dolphins aren't in such a position.